Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-10-08
FATAL WRECK.
Brave Dave Shaw Goes Down With His
Smashed Engine.

those sudden and deplorable accif
dents such as are frequent on the
railroads, and which no foresight
could guard against. 1t happened
| twenty-four miles west of Pueblo, ON
the Denver & Rio Grande railway.
Three-quarters of mile west of Bea-
yer creek station small bridge, 90 or
80 feet long, spans a ravine, at the
foot of high limestone bluff. This
bluff almost overhangs the railroad
track for several miles along that
part Of the valley.
A mass of fully hundred tons of
rock and earth had fallen from this
cliff upon the little bridge, crushing
it down. The slide must have oc-
CURED just after the passage Of
freight train which pulled into the
Beaver station siding ten minutes in
advance Of the regular passenger
train for Leadville The latter was
on time, or nearly so. 1t had lost
several minutes at Florence, where
great number ofempty beer kegs had
been loaded, and was running very
fast to avoid being late. The coach
es were well filled with passenger.
Just about | o'clock the rapidly
moving train approached the obstruc-
ton. The fireman, w. 0. Stevens,
from his side of the engine caught the
first glimpse of the slide. He called
out to the engineer. David Shaw, to
Jump, and did so himself, springing
| clear over wire fence and alighting
on his feet without injury. But Shaw,
with the true instincts of brave man
and an American engineer, instead of
saving himself, as he could have done,
! being in even better position to
Jump than the fireman was, thought
first of the load of humanity behind.
Instead of jumping he reversed the
engine, put on the air brakes and
whistled twice.
The next instant the locomotive
| plunged into the mass of boulders
| and earth, tearing itself all into pieces.
| A cloud of steam burst forth with
! roar that added to the crash Of the
grinding and breaking iron-work.
The engine separated from it's tender
and both tumbled over, complete
| wreck, headlight and smoke-stack off,
and looking little like locomotive.
The combination baggage, mail and
express car was hurled upward
against the rocky bluff, and left slant
ing forward with one end resting
high against the bank, the body of the
car separated from the wheels.
The smoking car came next. 1t
also was pulled off its trucks, and
plunged wildly up and down like a
ship on the waves, but it did not quite
capsize. The men in it thought it
was surely turning over, and were so
frightened that several of them jump
ed out through open windows. One
dived out head foremost and alighted
on the ground heels up, but was not
nurt. The other coaches kept the
track; and though their inmates were
shaken up and scared they escaped
injury.
The man whose quick courage had
saved them, however, brave Dave
Shaw, lost his life. He was caught
between the engine and tender as
they pulled apart, and his head was
literally crushed like an egg. The
skull was caught with the forehead
against the engine and the back Of the
head against the rounded shoulder of
the tender, and thus squeezed out of
all shape, the brains being forced out.
One arm was also cut almost off, and
then the poor fellow was held in the
escaping steam till he was actually
broiled, so that when one Of the pas
sengers caught hold of the other arm
it was so hot that he could not hold
it. Shaw was found partly under the
tender and almost covered in a pile
of ashes and dirt.
David Shaw was West Virginian,
about 35 years of age, and has been
on the ID & r q road several years.
He was married only five months ago,
to Miss Kellogg, niece of Mrs. Will
liam Taylor. They had happy lit
Tie uOule Oh Tue MESA, III lHlS Guy.
MIR Shaw was one of the best engi-
neers on the road and one of the best
men. He was u member Of South
Pueblo lodge No. 81, A. +. & A. NJ;
OF South Pueblo chapter No -
Royal Arch Masons; of Canon City
commandery No, 8, Kui4h hts Temp
lar; of the Pueblo lodge of the Patri-
otto Order Sons of America; ard of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
eincers. la the last named benevc-
lent organization he had an insur nee
- q nnn Gil. ....... =, -. -.